11 Things Not to Do When Booking For Accommodation

Byline: Unathi Nkanjeni

When it comes to preparing for your end year holiday, finding accommodation in your destination city is likely to be one of the most challenging aspects of the process.

Let’s be honest, finding accommodation in your own city can be tough, not to mention a completely unfamiliar city that you are yet to actually step foot in. With various rules and regulations that you’ll need to wrap your head around, it’s undoubtedly daunting. To help ease some of those stresses, here are a few important things to consider when looking for your accommodation this festive season. 

Then you can get back to what really matters – making plans and looking forward to your holiday adventure!

Follow these accommodation booking tips to get the best room in the best location at the best price.

1. Don’t forget to check the exact accommodation location.

There are great places that seemed to be in an ideal location, except that they are surrounded by busy roads, including an on-ramp and off-ramp to a highway on either side of the place. It will feel like you are staying in an interstate rest stop. You won't really be able to walk anywhere, and stepping outside will not just be annoying but borderline dangerous.

In some places, fine restaurants are a block away, and a running trail a half-mile away, and a great river walk another half-mile from there. When you book for accommodation, you'll think it is close to all those cool things, but always check closely enough to realize where exactly it’s located and that you can get to any of them without risking life and limb.

The easiest way to prevent this sort of problem is to see the site for yourself. Most booking websites include a map view of some kind, and you might also take a look at Google Street View or Bing’s Bird’s Eye view to get a good look at the lay of the land.

2. Don’t skip the review sites.

Knowing as much as possible about any given property is your best strategy for getting accommodation and a room that you actually enjoy staying in.  Switch your preferred accommodation after a bit of research, as there is always something you would never know without the help of folks who have already stayed at a property. 

These might include noise, lousy food, Wi-Fi, dated rooms and more — even the fact that the place is pretty much on a highway median. And you might find out a lot of good things as well.

3. Don’t forget to check if the accommodation has an airport shuttle.

If you a big fan of using public transportation when zooming around at your destination, as it puts you among the locals in a simple, straightforward way.

If you not a huge fan of public transportation to and from the airport, however. Starting and (especially) ending a trip by hauling massive bags through an unfamiliar subway system can be a grueling experience, especially when you are trying to get some rare R&R.

But getting to and from your accommodation in a taxi (or even an Uber) can be expensive, especially since most airports are quite a distance from the nearest city center. When considering the cost of one place vs. another, you will want to know whether the airport offers a complimentary shuttle.

4. Don’t fail to check parking availability and cost.

If you will have your own car, check both availability and pricing on parking at the place. Even if the place has parking available, it often comes with a price tag. If the place doesn’t have its own parking, the cost can be even higher in some places where you are forced to use private lots, and you have to worry about the car getting dinged or broken into — not to mention the hassle of having to find a spot every day.

5. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of breakfast.

The actual per-night difference between an accommodation that offers a solid continental (or even full) breakfast included in the rate compared to one that offers a R23 buffet can be significant, to say the least.

You can usually find out this information on the accommodation website or by calling the front desk directly. Since most folks prefer to breakfast at their accommodation, this is an important question if you are concerned about your budget. Sure, you can always try to find an affordable cafe nearby, but you can’t beat a free breakfast for convenience.

6. Don’t take internet access for granted.

As with breakfast, parking and a shuttle, if you absolutely need internet access, you also need to consider it part of your nightly accommodation budget when comparing prices. A place where you save R100/night but then pay R200 a day for internet is no savings at all.

This is a tricky one, though, so make sure you check this closely; internet access may be free for loyalty members but not to other guests, for instance.

Additionally, some places have started charging for access per device, or sometimes allowing only two devices per paying customer. If more than one person is staying in the room, this can become a problem very quickly, as most folks connect with at least two devices these days (e.g., a laptop and a smartphone). Check the fine print.

7. Program members, don’t book anywhere but directly through the accommodation.

This applies mainly if you belong to a loyalty club and hope to have points awarded to your account — because if you book through pretty much any third party, places won’t pony up the points. This includes well-known booking sites, group bookings, bookings by your travel agent, bookings by the accommodation’s own vacation club and even bookings at conference rates.

8. Don’t forget to sign up for the rewards program

It is often free to sign up for a place’s loyalty program, and in some cases, significant rewards kick in almost immediately. These can include complimentary Wi-Fi, as mentioned above, but also many “soft” benefits that you might not even be aware of; front desk agents might give you a slightly better room, for example.

9. Don’t be afraid to ask for a better rate.

One of the simplest but most effective tactics for getting a better rate is to ask for one. An open-ended approach is usually recommended - something like “are there any better special rates available?” This usually prompts the reservations person to ask if you are a member of a travel or other association, a member of a loyalty program, etc. From there they will often offer a better rate one way or another, simply for the asking.

10. Don’t be afraid to call the place directly.

If you have an accommodation place that is showing no rooms available, or really high rates, or lack of availability of certain special needs rooms (pet-friendly, accessible, kid-friendly, etc.), you should call the place and ask directly. The front desk often has information about cancellations, additional rooms and more that may not immediately show up on accommodation or booking sites.

Even if you have a simple question, such as “How much does internet access cost?” or “Is breakfast included?” a quick call to the place can settle pretty much any doubts you might have.

11. Don’t forget to ask.

You would be surprised what a place can and will do for you if you simply ask politely. Many front desk folks will lend common toiletries, make restaurant recommendations and reservations, call for taxis, give directions, help with public transportation and handle other logistical items without even flinching.

Additionally, you can often request a room on a certain side of the place, on an upper floor, away from the main road, closer to the elevator if you are disabled and more. Simply ask, and you may receive.